Local Football Facility Plan Hounslow

The London Borough of Hounslow is in the Greater London Region.

The current population of the Authority (ONS 2016 Mid-Year Estimate) is 271,139. This is expected to rise to 296,754 by 2039.

Hounslow is ranked 17 out of 33 LAs in the Region, and 86 out of 326 LAs nationally on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (ONS)

Just over half of Hounslow's population is white (51.39%). This is substantially lower than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Hounslow’s population represented by the BAME community is 48.61%. This is well above the national average (14.6%)

Local authority

The Council's Local Plan (2015-2030) commits it to protecting and improving the provision of play spaces and outdoor sports facilities to meet the diverse needs of the Borough's population, both now and in the future.

The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (2017) states that the Borough "should support positive health lifestyle behaviours and promote physical activity, use of play areas, open space and recreational facilities to raise physical and mental well being in all age groups".

The local authority has a PPS in place; this was adopted in 2017. Despite recent investment, there is still insufficient accessible and secured community use of football provision to meet the current demand of football clubs in the Borough. A shortfall of 3G FTPs is also identified.

County football association

Hounslow is covered by Middlesex County FA. It provides governance for, and development support to, all aspects of local football including coaches, referees, volunteers, clubs and leagues; supporting football for all. The County FA has a designated facilities investment lead officer who works to ensure the right facilities are located in the right locations.

Football Foundation

The Regional Engagement Manager and Regional Technical Project Manager at the Football Foundation work collaboratively with the County FA to provide pre-application support to priority projects for potential investment.

Sport England

Has a network of planning managers who have a statutory role in the planning system to protect playing fields and provide consultation responses to planning applications relating to sporting facilities . They also play a key role in strategic planning for sports facilities, providing advice and support to local authorities to assess need for facilities in their local area.

Professional community club organisations (CCOs)

These offer a variety of programmes and services to support local communities (sporting and non-sporting). Both the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust and the Chelsea Foundation run a variety of education, engagement, football and sporting activities in the local area.

Local leisure operator

Both Fusion Lifestyle and GLL run sports facilities in Hounslow, operating numerous football facilities across various sites. As examples, Fusion Lifestyle operates a small-sided 3G FTP at Heston Lesiure Centre, whilst GLL will operate Gunnersbury Park when it opens.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in Hounslow; 18 individuals (representing 17 local organisations) were spoken to. The agencies consulted include:

• Hounslow Council
• Fusion Lifestyle
• GLL
• Brentford Community Sports Trust

(See Appendix B for full list of consultees)

Clubs

There are over 91,000 community football teams in England, spread over an expansive network of clubs and leagues. Hounslow has a total of 312 teams, which is comparable to local areas of a similar size.

The FA is investing to support clubs both on and off the pitch which includes an aim to have a qualified FA coach with every youth team by 2020/21. In addition, it will support 1,000 clubs to create full player pathways from youth to adult teams and develop 150 community football hubs with male and female pathways, disability and recreational playing opportunities.

Over the last 10-years there has been a significant national increase in the number of large multi-team football clubs. In Hounslow, five clubs have more than 10 registered teams. These (based upon 2018-19 affiliation data) are:

• Bedfont Eagles FC - 27 teams
• Isleworthians FC - 20 teams
• CB Hounslow United Youth FC - 13 teams
• Elite Magic FC - 11 teams
• Junior Bees FC - 11 teams

Leagues

17 leagues operate in, or service teams from, Hounslow. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including women and girls, youth and adults. While there are no specific league opportunities for disability within Hounslow, suitable provision is made in neighbouring Hillingdon.

Some of the larger local leagues catering for clubs and teams from Hounslow (2018-19) include:

• Surrey Youth League
• Middlesex Youth Football League
• Middlesex County League

All of the above operate on a home and away basis.

The County FA reports that there is significant cross boundary migration to/from Hounslow due to teams affiliating to and playing in leagues in Surrey.

Disability football

There are 9.4 million people in England with a long-standing limiting disability, illness or condition which equates to 18% of the population – almost one in five. Football playing opportunities should be flexible, inclusive and accessible for everyone, whatever their level of ability. This could entail inclusion in mainstream activity or teams / sessions specifically for people with a disability.

In Hounslow there are six football teams / sessions specifically for people with a disability. It is a priority of the County FA to sustain this provision. For talented players the FA runs regional centres and England national squads.

Women and girls

The FA has big ambitions for the female game and aims to double levels of participation by 2020. To achieve this requires a combined effort across four pathways: education, recreation, competition and talent.

Education environments have a huge impact on the first experience of football for young girls. This pathway can offer many opportunities for females of all ages to develop and grow a lifelong interest in football.

FA Wildcats girls football centres provide the first step on the recreational pathway, the programme provides girls aged 5-11 with regular opportunities to play football in a fun and engaging environment. Hounslow has two FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to grow this activity.

At four, Hounslow’s number of female teams is lower than local areas of a similar size. The County FA’s priority is to support existing clubs to grow and encourage more clubs to develop playing opportunities for females. The local girls’ league is the Capital Girls League in which matches are played on both a home and away and central venue basis. It is expected to grow its provision in future years. The local adult female league is the Greater London Women's Football League; its matches are played on a home and away basis and it too is expected to its provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Chelsea FC which is located in Cobham. Higher level talent pathway opportunities are also provided regionally and nationally by the FA, culminating in the England Women’s national squads. The most local Women’s Super League team is Chelsea Women's FC which provides player pathway opportunities for gifted and talented female players and a spectator interest for fans.

Small sided football

Many different types of small-sided football are played in England, from teams and leagues to recreational and informal. It is an established and important part of the modern game.

Small-sided teams and leagues are organised and competitive activities; typically with players registered to clubs and affiliated to leagues and their County FAs. Examples include futsal and local small-sided leagues running at venues such as sports halls, 3G FTPs or small-sided 3G centres. Key local providers include

• Powerleague Sunbury-on-Thames
• Goals Gilette Corner
• Fusion Lifestyle, Heston

Futsal is an exciting, fast-paced, small sided team game that is widely played across the world. Typically it is played on an indoor surface with hockey-sized goals and a size 4 football with reduced ball bounce. It is the FA’s aim to ensure that futsal is available across the country.

There is currently one futsal teams in Hounslow that plays in the Youth Futsal Cup at key site locations including Nishkam School and Lampton School. It is a priority for the County FA to grow futsal for all players.

Futsal provision will be provided as part of the 3G development at Gunnersbury Park.

Recreational football

Recreational football is played where facilities are typically booked and there might be someone to help organise. Examples include FA Just Play sessions, walking football and casual pitch hire for small-sided match play.

There is currently one FA Just Play centre in Hounslow. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisation such as Feltham Walking Football Club. Walking football and Just Play are County FA priorities for further growth and development.

Informal football

Informal football is played in local parks and green spaces – it is free, open access and often played spontaneously (normal clothing is worn). Common examples include a kick-about at a local park or on a multi-use games area (MUGA).

Currently, informal football in Hounslow is played across the local authority. Cranford Park is a key heavily used site.

The key strength of local football in Hounslow is adult male provision and it is recommended that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. However, there are aspects of football provision that are less well represented than they are in local authorities of a similar size; these include adult female and youth female provision

It is therefore recommended that the future football development priorities for Hounslow are:

1. Youth female
2. Youth male
3. Adult female
4. Recreation

The facilities required to assist this are now set out in the Assets and opportunities section.

Each priority project that progresses to a funding application via the Football Foundation will produce a detailed ‘site development plan’ specifying all football development activity, usage and key partner engagement.

This section reviews existing football facility assets in Hounslow. It identifies current issues and presents opportunities for improvements, including a list of priority projects for potential investment. Local assets and opportunities have been reviewed in line with four investment priorities:

• 3G FTPs
• Improved grass pitches
• Changing room pavilions / clubhouses
• Small sided facilities

To ensure a consistent and high quality approach, each local area has been reviewed applying a standard approach, supplemented by input from consultation with local partners and stakeholder organisations.

While each investment priority is reviewed individually, it is understood that they can be inter-reliant; account is, thus, taken of these potential connections.

3G FTPs are a high quality and indispensable part of modern football facilities; their impact cannot be underestimated. In recent years the industry has seen major innovations and improvements to artificial surfaces (and sports lighting). This has created playing surfaces that replicate a good standard natural turf pitch whilst significantly increasing levels of use (x20). All FTPs must have sports lighting to achieve this.

The high quality, consistent playing surface is the ideal environment to play the game and for young people to learn. With regular maintenance programmes, FTPs can be heavily used all year round with no decline in quality. They almost completely negate annoying fixture cancellations during winter months, helping football to be a key part of a regular physical activity habit.

High capacity levels offer a great opportunity to embrace all formats and engage all participants. A full-sized 3G caters for an average of 1,200 participants per week and is suitable for various location types. That means being fully inclusive to all sections of the community, with a particular focus on under-represented groups such as women and girls, people with a disability, BAME communities and people from lower socio-economic groups.

The way 3G FTPs are used is rapidly changing; current line-marking systems allow for match play across all formats of football (5v5, 7v7, 9v9 and 11v11). This enables significant levels of match-play to be transferred from grass to 3G.

The national ‘Mini Pitch’ programme delivers small 3G FTPs at primary school sites to provide a high quality introduction to football and get children more physically active. While mini pitches are reviewed in this section, they are not included in the demand and supply analysis for 3G FTPs.

There are six existing full-sized (11 v 11) 3G FTPs in Hounslow. These are located at:

• Bedfont Sports Recreation Ground
• Cranford Community College (indoor)
• Grasshoppers Rugby Club
• King's House Sports Ground
• Isleworth and Syon School for Boys
• Springwest Academy

In addition, ten sites provide small-sided 3G FTPs:

• Beavers Community Primary School
• Bedfont Sports Recreation Ground
• Chiswick School
• Cranford Community College
• Goals Soccer Centre
• Heston Pools and Fitness
• Marlborough Primary School
• Powerleague
• Rocks Lane Multi-Sports Centre
• The Blue School C of E Primary School

Four of the six full sized 3G FTPs are readily available for community football use; the pitch at Cranford Community College is not considered to be available as it is primarily reserved for use by QPR FC, whilst the pitch at Grasshoppers Rugby Club is primarily used for rugby. All four of the available pitches are on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (meaning they are quality checked and can be used for football match play).

The FA's training ratio model (1:38) suggests there is an overall need for eight full sized 3G FTPs in Hounslow. This means, when provision at Cranford Community College and Grasshoppers Rugby Club is discounted, a current shortfall of four pitches . This said, two additional pitches are presently being developed as part of a partnership between Ealing Council and Hounslow Council (at Gunnersbury Park). This will reduce the shortfall to two full sized 3G FTPs.

The geographic spread of existing facilities is even; they are located in the East, West and central areas of the Borough. Nevertheless, local consultation reveals common issues with limited availability and the intention of this plan is to recommend the development of facilities that will ensure that this is addressed.

One priority project for potential investment is identified - to install two full sized 3G FTPs at Feltham Arena Parklands. This site was selected given its wider development plans and based upon a rationale of good access, high population and potential usage.

Once the developments at Gunnersbury Park and Feltham Arena Parklands are operational, their impact on 3G provision in the Borough should be assessed to determine whether there is a need for provision of additional 3G FTPs. If it is, Duke Meadows School (Riverside Land Playing Fields) and Rectory Farm are considered to be suitable sites. The latter was previously identified as a potential Parklife site.

Playing fields are one of the most important resources for sport in England. All football players should have the opportunity to play on good quality grass pitches. However, FA data shows that 63% of pitches in England are poor / low quality and one in six games is cancelled. As such, poor pitch quality is consistently cited as the number one issue for players.

The priority is, therefore, to sustainably improve grass pitch quality across all main pitch owners (local authorities, education establishments and clubs). However, the level of maintenance required to obtain good quality standards is regularly affected by restricted budgets and limited knowledge/ training. Compaction and grass coverage are two key causes of poor quality pitches. Both are commonly treated via a maintenance driven solution (and do not necessarily require costly drainage schemes).

Playing fields are also a valuable resources for informal play and open-access sites are encouraged but, for many, problems such as dog fouling and vandalism mean that they need to be protected with mitigation measures such as fencing.

The key challenge is to create a sustainable approach to provide good quality football pitches for the long term. Most local authorities (78%) intend to increase pitch hire fees in the future. However, many players (63%) believe facilities are already expensive and some (16%) believe prices are prohibitive. A sustainable solution should, therefore, carefully balance pitch quality and affordability.

While the education sector (37%) and local authorities (32%) are still the principal asset owners of grass pitches, clubs / leagues own or maintain an increasing share (currently 25%). Assets and opportunities have been considered across each sector.

Although large (3+ pitch) strategic sites are important and make up much of the project list within the LFFPs, this does not mean that other club, league and community/voluntary sites are not important or eligible for funding. These sites are key to the Football Foundation's Grass Pitch Programme to deliver 20,000 good quality pitches.

For more information click here.

PitchPower

The PitchPower app is the gateway to any grass pitch improvement funding. It is the tool that will allow clubs and organisations to complete pitch inspections and access funds.

If you haven't signed up and completed a PitchPower pitch inspection, you will need to do this before you can apply for the Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund.

Learn more by clicking here.

There are currently 15 grass pitch sites in Hounslow with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance). These contain 71 grass pitches. Of these sites, three are considered to have good quality pitches, eight are of standard quality and four are of poor quality.

Included as a key site is Rectory Farm. This location does not currently have football provision but planning approval has been gained for the creation of 110 acres of open space for community use. As such, there is potential to develop numerous pitches within the wider development.

Local consultation higlights common issues with poor pitch quality, low availability and a lack of regular, dedicated maintenance regimes and it is recommended that these are addressed. Many clubs maintain their own pitches, even at sites operated by the Council, but some report not having the correct equipment available or having received appropriate training.

Of the 15 key pitch sites referenced above it has been determined that six should be prioritised for improvements. This will result in quality improvements to 18 pitches.

Six priority projects for potential investment are identified. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by PPS and ratified by local partners. Prioritisation was based on a rationale of selecting sites in the poorest condition, that had the most pitches and that were best utilised or that had the potential to be better utilised.

These can provide a number of different benefits. While the primary function is normally the provision of changing rooms to accommodate match-play and training (for players and officials), there can be equal value in facilities such as community and education rooms, catering facilities and spectator toilets.

Each project will take a progressive approach to pavilions and clubhouses (beyond the provision of changing rooms) and be open to new opportunities to engage the whole community. That means, creating environments that are welcoming to players, spectators, volunteers, officials and all sections of the community.

Such assets should support other investment priorities (e.g. 3G FTPs and grass pitches) and be located at sites that will have the greatest impact on local communities. To ensure this, focus is given to sites with three or more full-size pitch equivalents. However, as pitch quality is the number one priority for players this is prioritised before investment in changing room pavilions /clubhouses.

Clearly, facilities need to be well managed and maintained to keep them in a good state of repair. Consideration will be given to reviewing the best operator solution for key sites and the installation of revenue generating features such as catering facilities and community rooms. To achieve this, business plan support will be given to each priority project as it progresses to an application to the Football Foundation.

Of the 15 key grass pitch sites in Hounslow with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance) ten have suitable changing rooms, four sites require improvement/replacement and one has no facilities. The site with no facilities is the potential new site at Rectory Farm.

Five priority projects for potential investment are identified.

Good facilities are important to all small sided football players, but it is important to understand the different formats of the small-sided game and the various facility types they relate to.

Research suggests that small-sided players in teams and leagues, and in recreational sessions, prefer a 3G surface type because it replicates a good standard natural turf pitch. These facilities have already been covered in the 3G FTP section of this LFFP.

Indoor environments currently accommodate 20% of football participation and are also popular with players in teams and leagues and recreational sessions . Indoor sports halls are most popular, along with some community halls and indoor 3G centres. Environments need to be engaging, have clear line-marking and the correct size goalposts.

Informal players require facilities that are open and free to access as this enables play opportunities that are often spontaneous. In these circumstances multi-use games areas (MUGAs) can be effective in areas of high urban population and limited green space. Such facilities can be modern, bright, creative and engaging. While this plan will identify suitable locations for such facilities, the design and specifics of the facility type can be agreed at a later stage with Football Foundation staff when projects are ready to progress to pre-application stage.

Parks and open green spaces are also important to informal play and require goalposts and zones that are free from litter and dog fouling.

Local consultation indicates that, at present, no indoor facilities require improvement to develop small sided football.

Four potential opportunities for MUGAs have been identified. In each case the rationale is based on the site being in an area of high population density, with limited green space and relatively high proportions of people from lower social economic groups - and corresponding high local demand for informal football. The intention is that three will be located in large housing estates in areas of deprivation (Brentford, Hanworth and Ivy Bridge), whilst the fourth is identified for Lampton Park. This is located in an area which is undergoing substantial housing growth.

Following local consultation, and assisted by the Sport England green spaces mapping tool, two locations are identified to support small sided informal football. Here, the rationale is based on popular local parks and open green spaces with suitable space / areas to increase informal football. The sites are identified are Grosvenor Park and Redlees Park.

Grosvenor Park is currently used for affiliated football but has poor access; there is a potential opportunity to transfer demand to a more appropriate site in the locality (i.e. Feltham Arena Parklands) and re-purpose its usage for recreational activity. However, this should only be done with support from, and in consultation with, the club users (West London Youth FC). The Club may prefer to stay on the site, in which case asset transfer should be considered.

Redlees Park was also previously used for affiliated football but there is currently no demand to bring it back into use with formal pitches. As such, there is potential for it to be re-purposed for recreational, small-sided football.

A range of local agencies and larger (usually 10 plus team) local football clubs were invited to participate in the LFFP consultation. Those that contributed are listed below:

• Physical Activity & Sport Project Manager - Hounslow Council
• Head of Parks and Sport - Hounslow Council
• Head of Community Development - Chelsea FC Foundation
• Community Development Manager - Brentford FC Sports Trust
• Football Development Manager - QPR Community Trust
• Relationship Manager - London Sport
• Business Manager - Fusion Lifestyle
• Business Manger - GLL
• Headteacher - Springwest Academy
• Secretary - Bedfont Eagles FC
• Secretary - Bedfont Sports FC
• Secretary - CB Hounslow FC
• Secretary - Chiswick Youth Meadonians FC
• Secretary - Elite Magic FC
• Secretary - Junior Bees FC
• Secretary - Isleworthians Youth FC
• Secretary - Old Meadonians FC
• Secretary - Polytechnic FC